Escape!!!

[shmifty5]

my darling little figgy has escaped! did i do something wrong?

in the begining i almost never kept the lid on his tank (he never looked or acted like he was trying to escape so it never really worried me until i read some of the horror stories with escapes. The first night that i actually used his lid, he escaped, that was about 3 days ago, i haven't noticed any odours and i haven't found a body, my floor is thick carpet and stays that way until the kitchen (still not alot of moisture to be found in the house), is there any chance that he is still alive?

why did he escape the first night that i used his lid? isn't that meant to deter them from escapeing?

 

[vistajpdf]

What is Figgy? I've lost a couple juvenile C. Orientalis to escape - a couple were found alive, but w/in the day, others I didn't even know were missing (have 50+ juveniles). I'd put out cookie trays of water and hope for the best. Check the darkest corners of the room.

Good luck,
Dana

 

[merk199]

I use glass cut to fit the aquarium leaving no gaps. Then I use a diamond hole saw bit cutting vent holwes which I then cover with acrylic window screen and silicon. Newts have seemingly octopus like skills at escape. A couple weeks ago I was lucky to find my beloved salamandra salamandra walking around my basement floor and the cover was intact. I have since weight it down to prevent anymore houdini escapes.

Good luck in your search!

 

[deliriah]

They dry out so quickly out of their setups. I really hope you find him ok. What is he? and do you have any clue how he escaped with the top on? They can be little houdinis.

 

[Joost]

After 3 days, the change of surviving is very small, at least for 'aquatic' newts. May-be terrestrial salamanders could live longer outside their vivarium. Always try to avoid escaping. If it happened, You can leave a wet towel in the corner of the room. Put a piece of corkbark on top of it. That's the most logical place where you would find them back.

 

[shmifty5]

figgy is my young C. orientalis.

unfortunately i just found him, the cat was playing with his body (not even my cat either, i sometimes really hate cats), he was pretty dried out and definately dead (his head was missing...).

i feel sick, i really loved the little guy and now he's gone, it's my fault that he is dead, i don't think im going to be getting another firebelly anytime soon.

thanks for all the replies and support i have recieved from this great forum.

 

[deliriah]

So sorry to hear about Figgy's fate. I have two cats of my own and though I love them to pieces I know they can be beasts. It's in their nature. As for my caudates I keep them all in a room where the cats do not have access. It minimizes the chances of, well, you know. But cats will be cats and newts/salamanders will escape from time to time so I again am sorry to hear about your loss.:sad:

 

[FRANCOIS]

Can spotted salamanders climb the glass of their tank?

 

[Jennewt]

Can spotted salamanders climb the glass of their tank?

Yes. Even very large tiger salamanders, large ribbed newts, etc. have been known to climb out. Don't take the chance!

 

[FRANCOIS]

I can't find her, she is in a 50G set up, do you think she went down deep in the soil? The terrarium is already quite complex and planted, I have been reluctant to dig it up too much.... ????

 

[shmifty5]

it depends, how high is the top of the tank from the top of your substrate, given that some salamanders prefer to hunker down in a hole or crevice i would guess that she is just hiding, a good way to know is to place some live food in the tank and turn off all lights, then you set-up a video recorder with night vision and she should appear after everything has quieted down so that she can eat in peace.

that strategy might not hold true in all cases as most salamanders can last a while without food and sometimes fast for a week.

in anycase i would be willing to bet my left ring finger that she is still in the tank (given it's size and complex nature, there should be a veritable cornicopia of hiding holes, if she has escaped i sincerely pray that she is located before the worst can come to terms.

P.S. thanks to everyone for the sympathy, i really the miss the little guy and his goofy face when he would eat.

 

[FRANCOIS]

Well thank you for the reply, I hope you are right, it's a normal 50G tank so yes, it's quite high to climb but since I can't find her ???
She seemed at home and happy and eating, I don't get it...
Anyway, night vision cam, not sure about that.... ;-)
I am sorry about your newt.... I know how it feels.

 

[shmifty5]

lol, my figgy was like that, he used to sit at the bottom and wander around and stand on the snails, i never would have guessed that he would escape...

 

[FRANCOIS]

it depends, how high is the top of the tank from the top of your substrate, given that some salamanders prefer to hunker down in a hole or crevice i would guess that she is just hiding, a good way to know is to place some live food in the tank and turn off all lights, then you set-up a video recorder with night vision and she should appear after everything has quieted down so that she can eat in peace.

that strategy might not hold true in all cases as most salamanders can last a while without food and sometimes fast for a week.

in anycase i would be willing to bet my left ring finger that she is still in the tank (given it's size and complex nature, there should be a veritable cornicopia of hiding holes, if she has escaped i sincerely pray that she is located before the worst can come to terms.

P.S. thanks to everyone for the sympathy, i really the miss the little guy and his goofy face when he would eat.

Well you were right on, just saw something shiny under a piece of drift wood, was her eye, I did not have to "destroy" any of the set-up... There she is, looking good, she has a new tunnel, much deeper.... haha I am so excited !!! First time I see her in a full week.... what a little rascal.... ;-)

 

[shmifty5]

YAY!!! im so happy for you, keep a good on her, she sounds like a rascal, lol.

 

[deliriah]

I have a spotted sal too. They are notorious for hiding away and being shy. On a whim while cleaning his tank up a little, I built up some of the moist workable soil I have him in and shaped it with my finger, leaving a hole that was clearly against a side of the glass for easy viewing. I figured he had plenty of hides already and I was being silly, but to my surprise the next morning I found him in my handmade "viewing" hide and he's loved it there ever since.